fall apart
by The Fluff Queen
Summary: He can't help the bitter thought that, for a young ingénue, she moves on pretty fast // Sequel to 'turnaround'.


**Author's Note:** I can't rip 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' out of my ears. If only to hear Mark's sexy 'turn around'. So, this is yet another story based on the love square (pentagon, if you count Quinn) formed by Jesse, Rachel, Puck and Finn. I'm focusing on Jesse now.

This also counts what we have learnt about Rachel and Shelby in 'Dream On', but I haven't watched it yet, so it's not accurate. I've never tried to write something so generic, you guys know I'm a big romantic.

And no, 'Turnaround' won't move from one-shot to multichaptered. Come on, people, allow me to finish NGBA first, ok? But this can count as a sequel of sorts to it. It mentions the happy PR ending I've built in it, and then twists into something different altogether.

**Disclaimer:** No. Unfortunately. Oh, the PR possibilities!

**Fall Apart (Then Build Back Together)**

**H**e watches as the tiny silhouette of his ex-girlfriend approaches her New Beetle, eyes narrowed as he recognizes the tall, bulky frame waiting for her against the car. His knuckles turn white as the boy – a threat, he knows, he was unaware of until he caught whiff of, earlier that day, Rachel's brief liaison with him – says something to Rachel and then kisses her like there is no tomorrow.

He can't help the bitter thought that, for a young ingénue, she moves on pretty fast.

He also can't help the jealousy that burns hot and fierce in his belly, as he watches, with sick interest, the way she kisses him, holding her own but at the same time with an abandonment that makes him wonder if she ever kissed him like that. He can't remember it for the life of him, and it makes him jealous as hell. He wonders what this juvenile delinquent has that puts him at the higher spot on the high school food chain. He's a decent singer, but not as talented as Jesse himself. He's good-looking, if the person was attracted to a stoic, silent type, but not angelic and elegant as Jesse. And he certainly isn't intelligent and intellectually dedicated to his academics as Jesse is.

The former Vocal Adrenaline lead can't help but imagine what Rachel sees in Puckerman, what the left tackle has that makes Rachel, who is beautiful, talented, driven and intelligent, see him as an adequate partner to cross the high school life with. He drives away as Rachel hops in her car, laughing (so beautifully) at something Puckerman says, and quickly considers that by the next day, this little bubble of whatever between Puckerman and Rachel will be blown over.

* * *

**J**esse is unpleasantly surprised when he arrives at school next day and finds Puckerman cornering Rachel against her locker, murmuring something while standing very closely to her, something that has the brunette giggling and saying, "Noah, you're incorrigible", in a very affectionate tone.

A glance at Hudson tells him he's not the only one displeased with this, and the fact that the freakishly taller boy doesn't look surprised like their other colleagues tells Jesse that, like himself, Hudson also stayed behind the previous day and watched the interaction between their ex-girlfriend and her ex-turned-current-boyfriend. Puckerman steps apart from Rachel and loops an arm loosely around her shoulders before walking her to her class. They walk past him, and she doesn't even acknowledge him – Puckerman looks a bit smug, and tightens a little his grip on her shoulders before dropping a carefree kiss to her temple.

Hudson mutters something and stalks off the other way, and Jesse wonders if Shelby will take him back if he transfers back to Carmel. Something clicks inside of his mind, and he begins to see the similarities between his former coach and his ex-girlfriend, and he slams his locker closed before taking off for a third path, different from Rachel's and her new love interest, and alternate from Hudson's as well, wheels turning in his brain.

For the first time in his scholar career, Jesse St. James skips school. He drives all the way to Carmel, and demands that Shelby receives him.

Forty-five minutes later, his mind is spinning with everything he has learnt from the woman that had been coaching him all the way to show choir success, and at the same time about the girl for whom he had ditched said woman.

He's surprised when Shelby quietly asks how Rachel is and, when he says she's seeing a delinquent, shocked when she glares at him and tells him not to speak about her daughter like that. He's blown away when she tells him Rachel's probably is a better judge of character than he is, since she's used to not being respected and adored by her peers. He still can't wrap his mind around the fact that he has been romancing Shelby's daughter, so he doesn't take offense to her criticism.

Jesse goes home and – will the surprises stop coming? – his mother receives him with a Rachel message asking him to come over to her house. He calls back and asks her if there's anything wrong.

* * *

**H**e's nursing a broken nose, and Rachel's sobbing openly, but quietly, leaning against her very protective boyfriend's chest, the blonde pregnant girl – Quinn? – rubbing circles on her back and speaking soothingly at her. The other glee members are watching with deep interest, and Jesse stands up shakily before falling on the nearest chair. On William Schuester's office, three adults – two men, Rachel's fathers, and a woman, Shelby – can be heard arguing quite loudly. Mr. Schuester's voice can be heard as he weakly tries to soothe the arguing adults.

As the situation sinks into everyone, the other nine members of New Directions gravitate towards Puckerman, Rachel and Quinn, forming a protective circle around the trio. Rutherford, Chang and Hudson glare at Jesse like everything that is happening is his fault, but everyone looks up startled when Mr. Schuester's office door slams open and then slams closed, and Shelby all but bolts away. She freezes however when her eyes meet Rachel's red, puffy ones (and, seeing them side by side, Jesse kicks himself for not having noticed the physical likeness of them earlier), and she tentatively approaches her daughter.

Puckerman holds Rachel a little tighter, his eyes fierce and glaring at the other woman. Rachel looks fearful and heartbroken and curious all at the same time. The others look at Shelby like she's the devil, or the closest thing to it. Quinn wobbles up and stands protectively by Rachel. Jesse quickly looks at Mr. Schuester's office, and Rachel's fathers are glaring at the scene, one of them muttering something to his partner. Mr. Schuester himself watches everything with rapt interest, eyes wide and worried.

But Shelby, the woman Jesse got to know as Ice Queen, looks as devastated and heartbroken as Rachel does, down to the red rimmed eyes and pale-lipped mouth, and she steps in between the protective circle built around her daughter – it's getting easier to think of Rachel as Shelby's child –, reaches out and gently wipes a tear from the brunette's cheek. A new one runs down, tracing the soft curve of Rachel's high cheekbone, and Shelby whispers, "Everything will be alright".

Then she walks out, glaring briefly over her shoulder through the window at the couple who are watching her interact with Rachel with guarded, unreadable eyes before vanishing. Rachel's fathers, after a quiet conversation with her daughter that leaves Rachel agitated, upset and subdued at the same time, leave shortly after, and Puckerman lets go of Rachel to trot after them – Santana and Mercedes wrap an arm each around Rachel, and try to engage her in some conversation about songs for Regionals, but her mind is not in it, but everyone tries the best they can to distract her. Rachel opinionates every now and then, but it's clear she's not her usual driven, focused self, and Jesse catches worried glances and concerned frowns every now and then.

Jesse decides he's sticking with New Directions, because they could use his talent, and because he feels Shelby will need someone to keep an eye out for her daughter, and to tell Rachel what a great woman her mother is. Puckerman returns moments later and he manages to coax Rachel into talking, and the two of them discuss everything that has happened quietly while the others have an impromptu jam session – and also provide a protective barrier for the talking couple standing in between them and Jesse. He's surprised at how fun this jam session is (another reason to add to his 'reasons to stay at New Directions' list: sometimes, these young people sing just to have fun).

Mercedes and Santana team up to sing Christina Aguilera's 'Can't Hold Us Down', which has the other teenagers bobbing and dancing along. Finn puts to vote that they do this to Regionals, and it wins by unanimity, leaving Mercedes thrilled and Santana overjoyed.

The other blonde cheerleader, Brittany, shares vocals with Artie for Bon Jovi's duet with Jennifer Nettles, 'Who Says You Can't Go Home', and Jesse's surprised at the rough quality of her voice. He wonders how that talent can be considered a loser trait in this school, and it's a pro in his 'why-to-go-back-to-Carmel' list: there, he will never be seen as a lower life.

Tina soulfully sings a beautiful old Journey's ballad, 'Open Arms', and Rachel sniffles louder at this, and she and Puckerman whisper the lyrics to each other. Kurt and Mercedes lean against each other, Artie looks longingly at Tina, who smiles back, and Santana, Rutherford, Chang and Brittany cuddle together and quietly sing along, and Jesse is confused wondering how those relationships work.

Quinn sings 'Say a Little Prayer', which has everyone laughing. (Jesse will later find out from Brittany that she, Quinn and Santana auditioned to glee club using the song, way back when Quinn's pregnancy was still unknown to Quinn herself and she was the reigning girl at McKinley).

Finn decides to showcase Chang's pop-and-lock talent and enlists Rutherford as well, and the three have everyone dancing to Justin Timberlake 'Sexyback'. The girls whoop along, and everyone is laughing and having fun, but silence falls over them like a thick blanket when Puckerman's voice comes, and his rendition of Frankie J's 'Story of My Life' (a clear serenade to Rachel) has all the girls in tears (he's surprised at the boy's talent – and little by little he sees what Noah Puckerman has that has Rachel so enthralled).

But everyone is clearly surprised when Jesse himself begins singing, but Quinn is the first to pick up and harmonizes with him. He, Chang, Rutherford, Hudson, Puckerman and Artie share vocals for 'Never Gonna Be Alone', and the girls join at the chorus. Rachel cries and smiles gratefully at them. Puckerman nods at Jesse over her head (instead of punching the living daylights out of him for singing a love chanson to his girlfriend), and the male diva considers that maybe he just got the other boy's begrudging respect.

(He is unaware that he just earned New Directions' respect at his unexpected show of loyalty and friendship to Rachel. He finally catches on when he realizes, days later, that Kurt has stopped picking on him).

(By this time, Puckerman and Rachel are stronger than ever – he has even gone to her meeting with Shelby, who's actually dating Mr. Schuester. Hudson is slowly starting a complicated relationship with Santana. Jesse himself is entangled in some sort of competition with Mike for Brittany's heart).


End file.
